Cabinet Card
The bigger sibling of the CDV — large albumen portraits on heavy ornamental mounts.
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Spamer Gorgeous African American Lady In Dress New Yor
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Old African American Lady In Fancy Dress With Bow
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Stahn African American Lady in Dress Baltimore Maryland
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Geo. J. Snook African American Man in Suit Akron OH
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Boy With Hat and Gun Dog Outside
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s St. Johns Business College Naval Parade Welcome Iowa
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Erwin Family Outdoor Camp Ottawa Kansas Forest Park
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Young Boy and Baby In Outfits Unmarked
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gus Jackson Handsome Man In Suit Waco Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s P.T. Goben Cute Baby In Dress Sherman Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Caradine Cute Children Sherman Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.C. Baum Family Group Whitesboro Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.C. Baum Old Lady In Dress Whitesboro TX
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.C. Baum Young Lady Whitesboro TX
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.C. Baum Old Lady In Dress Whitesboro TX
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Gray-Button Cute Baby White Dress Sherman Texas
Cabinet Card C. 1890s Jas. L. Goben Handsome Man with Mustache Gainesville Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Caradine Young Lady In Dress Sherman Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s G.C. Baum Handsome Man in Suit Whitesboro TX
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s L.C. Baum Three Women in Dresses Whitesboro Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1887 T.H. Carpenter Gorgeous Lady In Dress Sherman TX
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s Caradine Cute Baby In Gown Sherman Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s H.S. Stiles Handsome Man with Mustache Rockwell Texas
Cabinet Card Circa 1890s J.L. Bergstrom Cute Girl Holding Doll Waco TX
Cabinet cards are larger albumen photographs mounted on thicker, often decorated card stock. First offered in London in 1863 and reaching American studios by 1866, they were dominant from the 1880s through the early 1900s — the ‘Golden Age’ of the cabinet card runs roughly 1870 to 1895 — and continued in declining numbers into the 1920s.
HistoryOrigin & era
Cabinet cards offered the same albumen process as CDVs but at a size more flattering to detailed studio work. By the 1880s mounts grew elaborate — gold edges, embossed studio logos, chromolithographed backs. The format faded sharply after Eastman Kodak's 1900 Brownie put cameras in everyone's hands; few cabinet cards date after 1906, and the last were produced in the early 1920s.
IdentificationHow to spot a Cabinet Card
- Mount roughly 4¼ × 6½ inches.
- Heavier card stock than a CDV, often with rounded corners and gold or beveled edges.
- Photographer's imprint usually on the front below the photo, with elaborate logos on the back.
- Plain pale mounts are earlier (1870s); dark green, black, and gilt mounts are 1880s–1890s.
Cabinet Card sizes
Standard cabinet cards are remarkably consistent, but several larger "deluxe" formats were sold by the same studios.
| Format | Inches | Millimeters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cabinet card | 4¼ × 6½ in | 108 × 165 mm | Universal mount size. |
| Cabinet print on mount | ≈ 3¾ × 5½ in | ≈ 95 × 140 mm | Photo trimmed to fit with a narrow border. |
| Promenade | 4 × 7 in | 102 × 178 mm | Taller variant, popular 1875–1900. |
| Boudoir | 5¼ × 8½ in | 133 × 216 mm | Larger format for full-length portraits. |
| Imperial | 6⅞ × 9⅞ in | 175 × 251 mm | Largest of the cabinet-family mounts. |
| Panel | 4 × 8 in | 102 × 203 mm | Narrow, full-length portrait format. |
Common questions
What is a cabinet card?
A cabinet card is a Victorian-era portrait photograph — an albumen print mounted on a heavy card roughly 4¼ × 6½ inches. First offered in London in 1863 and arriving in American studios by 1866, cabinet cards were the standard portrait format from about 1880 through the early 1900s and continued in declining numbers into the 1920s.
How do I date a cabinet card?
Mount color and decoration are the best clues: pale buff or cream stock with a simple imprint is 1870s; dark gray or maroon with gold edges is mid-1880s; deep green, black, or chocolate brown with ornate gilt lettering is 1890s. Beveled edges with gold appear around 1885.
What are cabinet cards worth?
Generic studio portraits typically run $5–$20. Cards depicting identified subjects, occupational scenes, ethnographic subjects, post-mortem photography, or well-known photographers can range from $50 to several hundred dollars. Condition, sharpness of the print, and subject interest matter more than age.
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